The purpose of this study is to increase childhood influenza vaccination rates using the FDA licensed influenza vaccines according to national guidelines in a randomized cluster trial in which primary care offices are randomized to intervention or control with the control group receiving the intervention in the second year.

Effectiveness Score [ Time Frame: End of February 2012 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Two staff members from each site were surveyed as to usefulness/effectiveness of a list of strategies recommended in the toolkit to increase vaccination rates. Values (range = 1-100 with 1 being not at all effective and 100 being highly effective) were averaged and used as an effectiveness score for each strategy. The average value for each site was combined with all sites and averaged for each strategy. (actual range = 20.6-90.7).

Control sites will not receive assistance with increasing influenza vaccination in Year 1, they will follow guidelines for usual care.

Detailed Description:

The investigators will conduct a stratified, randomized cluster trial of 20 diverse primary care practices to compare influenza vaccination rates in intervention and control sites. Intervention sites will use a package of newly developed and evidence-based techniques that will be tailored to their practice structure and culture, called the 4 Pillars Immunization Toolkit, in addition to receiving donated vaccine for early season vaccination. Control practices will not receive such assistance but will receive the intervention in the second year.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

6 Months to 18 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Yes

Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

For children: attendance at the selected health care center within the last year and age >/=6 months thru 18 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

For children: Severe egg allergy or allergy to influenza vaccine

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01664793

Locations

United States, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Deparment of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213

Sponsors and Collaborators

University of Pittsburgh

Investigators

Principal Investigator:

Richard Zimmerman, MD, MPH

University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology